Reflecting on using technology     27/8/12

It is significant to look back and reflect on where we were as learners in our first year, and our understandings of play. Technology and creativity has been extended. We are able to recognise the interwoven links between the aspects of teaching and learning, seeing how they are incorporated in the curriculum (Ministry of Education, 1996). Technology, where to begin, I agree with Smorti, (1999), technology is a challenge, but it is also exciting too.  I must admit that I initially thought of this class being about digital technology, to be pleasantly surprised how easily technology fits into everyday items, into our lives without us realising.

There were difficulties setting up the blog, my frustrations obvious to me as I perceived others succeeding with tasks and me not succeeding. I can relate this to children, especially new children into the centre. They were trying to use the ipad. I tried to relate my experience with this task too. A new understanding developed for me, of the collaborative relationships that happen amongst children, the ipad reflection is an example.   I have a new understanding of the child who comes to use the scissors for the first time, who just wants to cut the paper, not necessarily for a specific purpose. As he does this he is acquiring skills which will be needed later to create and purposely cut. He places no pressure on himself to cut; he tries it until he decided that was enough. Back to the blog and putting aside the challenge to master it quickly, it has been a process of learning and for all of us in our groups, became a collaborative process. 

Developing a skill is an action, taking time, trial and retrial as errors are sorted until understanding comes. Both curriculum documents Te Whāriki (Ministry of Education,1996) and New Zealand curriculum (Ministry of Education,2007) speak about providing challenges so that children can achieve through perseverance. From experience recently, a sense of accomplishment is established after a challenging experience.

 I was pleasantly surprised to receive both verbal and written feedback on my reflections from my team. The different perspectives gave insight into my own practice. It has been huge for understanding how some things as small as the right question or suggestion, can extend children’s thinking and problem solving abilities. My understanding about value has increased. The value of peer feedback;  of seeing how others view their teaching and learning with children, similar and  different eyes have  different perspectives. The visiting guest speaker gave me another perspective, the value of achievement for children. I’m not sure  I would have linked this to technology in the past, now I can think about how technology can add value in the lives of children. Value of seeing children in collaborative relationships when using technology (Ministry of Education, n.d.). There is value for children when they achieve; and value when children recognise and support other children in their learning process, their accomplishments.     Being able to relate the process of our own learning, to children’s learning in their experiences. The feedback for my reflections has extended my thinking of possibility thinking for each other, and opportunities to see the value in each episode taking place with children.

There are issues which affect our use of technology, for example we assume technology is digital. I have a new understanding about technology; it is a tool that permits us to achieve new understandings and tasks. Safety issues are involved’ think about the scissors, they can cut so need rules of use. The glue gun is hot it needs rules for use. The computer needs rules of use. The safety issues are wide reaching and parental and adult guidance are needed to keep children in a safe and secure world. Potentially, there is risk all around, however if we can teach with safe practice then we enable children to navigate their world in a way that helps them to respect the potential for technology.

 As I read my team’s reflections, I had an understanding about who they were as teachers, and the way they practiced their care for children. These reflections place us in the teaching role of what is really happening. They are more than my friends, they are also teachers,by sharing part of themselves, they have taught me too.

Ministry of Education (n.d). Foundations for Discovery pdf. Retrieved August 29^th 2012, from http://www.educate.ece.govt.nz/~/media/Educate/Files/Reference%20Downloads/eceictfrmwrka3insert.pdf

Ministry of Education,  (2007).  The New Zealand curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand. Learning Media Limited. Retrieved  August 2012, from

  http://nzcurriculum.tki.org.nz/Curriculum-documents/The-New-Zealand-Curriculum/Key-competencies

Ministry of Education, (1996). He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa, early childhood curriculum .Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media Limited.

Smorti, S. (1999) Technology in Early Childhood. Early Education, 19, 5-10.

Links to comments

Comments on Saira's post http://sairathinkscreatively.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/reflection_10.html?showComment=1345004722983
http://sairathinkscreatively.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/reflection-2.html?showComment=1345201824218#c1216869067451424081
Comments on Kay's post
http://kaylovestotalk.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/reflection-1-use-of-alaptop-today-one_8.html?showComment=1345028995605
http://kaylovestotalk.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/reflection-2-technology-in-sandpit.html?showComment=1345204559964#c7033394245932049725

Comments on Isabel's post
http://fresh-and-fruity-isabel.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/the-staple-gun.html?showComment=1345030435272
http://fresh-and-fruity-isabel.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/laptop-experience_7835.html?showComment=1345263812842#c7399734210404493678


Comments on Flutura's post
http://fluturaveliu.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/refl-ection-1-date-07-08-12-asi-came.html?showComment=1345029679293

3rd reflection

Reflection 3 – The Glue Gun -   and Scissors.

I was in the art room, covering for a lunch break, the glue gun is set up, X is making a long sword, using coloured ice block sticks, he has been making swords and weapons for several months, lots of boys are inspired by his designs, when he has finished putting the final touches on his “sword”  he announces “look , I made a sword gun “ and in response to my question announces “ its just a sword gun, hold like this” holds the sword gun upright in front of his chest. In response to my query, what will you do with it , he replies  “just this “and leaves the art area to find his mates, inspired by his creation , some other boys come to “make a gun”. They stand around each other ready to use the glue gun, taking turns to glue pieces of stick together, before leaving to use these tools outside. It is not long before they are back to do some mending

A has asked me for some help to make a mask,” can you make it?”  we look through a book , even though she continues to tell me she can’t, my response is to tell her that “I usually need to get my ideas from looking at something else, so lets, look together, what is your plan, do you have some ideas? ”,  “ glue gun it “ we keep looking through the pages, seeing a heart she changes her mind, with a request “ can you draw it” making out with my finger on the paper, suggesting ways to try, then A keeps looking through the magazine, and as I move back to sit further away,  A finds the mask page and begins to be inspired... selects her crayon colours, draws the circle for the face, eyes and nose, and proceeds to cut expertly round the face shape, stops when she remembers it needs ears, adds them and whiskers “like a cat”.

At this point P arrives and watches A cutting, he picks up the crayon, marks the paper, then using the scissors, attempts at cutting, watches A opens and closes his hand over the paper but it doesn’t continue cutting, watches a for a few moments then tears his paper. P is new to the centre and preschool environment, while he is very articulate within our environment; he is still making an emotional adjustment to being away from mum. It is good to see him exploring what is a challenging activity;(Ministry of Education, 1996), he would not be exploring new areas of play if he was not feeling comfortable. A is oblivious to P’s scrutiny, when he asks what you doin? A looked up surprised and said “ I’m making a cat mask”!

Looking through the lens with technology on the brain, creativity? or both! It’s hard to see them separated in this context, not because this event is happening in the art room, but the active thinking that takes place, to utilise a tool to  solve a problem, seeking out an answer to support their own understanding, developing confidence to extend on their own perspectives and acquire new knowledge ( Smorti, 1999). P watching A, Was he challenged by the experience, when the scissors were not doing the cutting, storing information for later use. A  needed some reassurance to take the next step. Inspired by the book, or, challenged to work it for herself to extend her own understanding? A did complete her mask, selected tape to anchor her string to the paper, asking me to hold the end while she cut it.  The boys solved their problem when their weaponry needed mending, coming back inside to repair.

From the technology perspective, the tools helped to do a task, and solved a problem of” what action will I take” (Smorti, 1999). Creatively; the process of thought, was thinking and making connections with their peers, being inspired by ideas (Cremin, Burnard, &Craft, 2006).

Cremin, T. ,Burnard, P., & Craft, A. (2006). Pedagogy and possibility thinking in the early years. Thinking skills and creativity. (108-119). :Science Direct. www.sciencedirect.com doi:10.1016j.tsc.2006.07.001

Ministry of Education, (1996). He Whāriki Mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o Aotearoa, early childhood curriculum .Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media Limited.

Smorti, S. (1999. Technology in early education.  Early Education. (19). Autumn. (5-10).

"Get dat fish!!

more digital technology

  Our iPads are always in demand; we usually limit them with a timer, either 5 or 10 minutes at a time. These changes in technology during our life time have had impacts on children and the way they experience their social worlds, (Arthur,Beecher,Death, Dockett,& Farmer,2005. p.10), and has resulted in many changes for children, not just their social worlds.

When I’m positioned in the main room it has been up to me to set the limit. On Thursday, I was keeping track of who wanted a turn, using the chart for computer turns, at the same time our interactive white board was up and running. (We had to order another pen to use on it, the casualty of children’s misuse), now with it going again there was lots of activity, not only that but a computer screen that takes photos was also being used.

There are several popular games on the iPads,  Including building with Leggo, puzzles, colouring in, audio stories, songs, and a few other selected maths programmes, such as matching and sorting. A popular game called copy cat, this game has a cat that copies everything the child says, in the same tone and style of the child, this is very amusing for children as they practice various comical sounds, laughter, and other sounds.

Previously I’ve fluctuated in my thinking about how much guidance to give on the use of these technologies, how much is too much? Sometimes I would instruct children to stay away to let an individual have their turn by themselves, or I would suggest to the user to talk to the waiting person, if they didn't want the other child to touch the iPad. Today this learning was taking place socially as children worked alongside each other. The child whose turn it was did not mind his friends using the screen too. I realised that this was very similar to our group trying to set up the blog, how we needed Sharon to help and guide us initially, then later after our own trials, we asked each other, and then I was still needing more help from those in the group who knew what to do. I realised how we are all the same, children are children learning in the social setting, we are adults learning in our social setting.

I’ve gone from insisting children have their “own” turn , to relaxing about shared time for several reasons. 1. I’ve noticed how many new users struggle to make sense of the iPod when they initially use it, other children take to it like a duck to water.  The observers are learning from the users. 2. While observing some friends watching on and joining in on play with the iPad, taping the screen and moving it, I noticed the interactions and camaraderie taking place.
 Here was an opportunity for development and exploration of social concepts, rules of behaviour in a group and social understanding with their peers (Ministry of Education, 1996, p.91). Even when children to not have access at home, popular culture characters, give children a "fund of knowledge"; a link to socialise and play together with a shared understanding(Arthur,et el., 2005.p.10).   And just as we had to ask each other questions about how to? (use the blog) children also engage in what if,” try this” ! and “no,no this one this one”! to help each other. As well as these skills, these children were also learning to use the technology tools from each other.
Managing the interactive whiteboard meant needing to recalibrate it often, as the wall movement affected to screen. Here I was needing to be knowledgeable so that there was not along wait time for children, ask for help and practice the instructions, reminding me of the access children have to

Arthur, L. Beecher, B. Death, E., Dockett, S., & Farmer, S. (2005).(3rd ed.) Programming and planning in early childhood settings.South Melbourne, Victoria,Australia: Thomson.

      Ministry of Education. (1996).Te Whāriki; He whāriki mātauranga mō ngā Mokopuna o    Aotearoa;           Early childhood curriculum. Wellington, New Zealand: Learning Media.